An Occupy member named Sri Louise became emotional as she listened to the stories in jail. Members of the Occupy Oakland movement gathered on the front steps of Oakland City Hall Wednesday February 1, 2012 to denounce the police and their tactics in the latest skirmish.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

An Occupy member named Sri Louise became emotional as she listened...

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Joseph Anderson argued with members of the media about the message of Occupy Oakland and the media coverage. Members of the Occupy Oakland movement gathered on the front steps of Oakland City Hall Wednesday February 1, 2012 to denounce the police and their tactics in the latest skirmish.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

Joseph Anderson argued with members of the media about the message...

Image 3 of 3

A large contingent of media listened to members of Occupy Oakland describe their experiences last Saturday night. Members of the Occupy Oakland movement gathered on the front steps of Oakland City Hall Wednesday February 1, 2012 to denounce the police and their tactics in the latest skirmish.

Protesters arrested during an Occupy Oakland rally Saturday said they were abused by police, subjected to illegal mass arrests and suffered a litany of human rights violations while held at two county jails - which only strengthened their commitment.

Organizers held a news conference outside Oakland City Hall on Wednesday to denounce police and restate their goal to move into a vacant building. Members called for another demonstration Saturday night, the latest in what Occupy activists have dubbed "F- the police" rallies, as well as a march to a courthouse Monday.

"Even the people who suffered the most traumatizing experiences are back out here," said Caitlin Manning, an Occupy Oakland member. "Santa Rita (county jail) spawns rebels. People who go through that don't come out broken; they come out strengthened."

Earlier Wednesday, Police Chief Howard Jordan said he had assigned a team of investigators to look into Occupy protesters' allegations of police abuse.

"We take allegations of abuse seriously," he said. "Obviously, this is a very volatile situation that needs to be addressed immediately. We are not shying away from these allegations."

On Saturday night, hours after police turned back Occupy activists seeking to take over the vacant Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, hundreds of protesters were arrested outside the YMCA on Broadway. Police said the protesters had ignored dispersal orders, but Occupy activists said they never heard any such order.

Noah Zimmerman, 31, an information-technology consultant from Richmond, said he would have left the area had police given him the chance. Instead, he was arrested and spent 24 hours in jail.

"I did not hear an order to disperse because there was no order to disperse," Zimmerman said. "I had no intention of going to jail."

On Sunday, Jordan said his officers had made the dispersal orders and "rightfully conducted the arrests."

Once detained, protesters said they had waited in plastic handcuffs for hours before deputies processed them into two county jails.

Sgt. J.D. Nelson, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, said that with more than 350 bookings, it was the busiest day in nearly 30 years. He said he was unaware of any complaints filed against the jails.

Nelson said officials had planned to send most of those arrested to Glenn DyerDetention Facility in downtown Oakland, but protesters gathered outside the building and forced drivers to divert buses carrying 250 people to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.